Ben's Talking Pictures Annual Oscar Ranking Round-Up!

It's Oscar week which means it is time for my favorite blog post of the year!  I'm happy to have several special guests back on the blog to share their opinions on this year's crop of Best Picture nominees: My wife Emily, mother-in-law Barb, brother Jason, sister Sarah, and my brother-in-law-to-be Tyler!

And for the first time in Ben's Talking Pictures history, we all agree on a number one film.  12 Years a Slave is clearly the best of the bunch, and deserves to go home with the trophy on Sunday.  Nebraska also came in as the clear second place to this group of native Midwesterners. I was the only one to place it third, and it was a tough choice!   Her and Gravity also had solid love/respect from our crowd.

	Movie	Ben	Emily	Barb	Sarah	Tyler	Jason	Average Rank
1	12 Years a Slave	1	1	1	1	1	1	1.00
2	Nebraska	3	2	2	2	2	2	2.17
3	Gravity	2	3	3	5	5	3	3.50
4	Her	4	4	4	4	3	4	3.83
5	Wolf of Wall Street	7		9	3	4	7	6.00
6	Captain Phillips	5	6	5	9	9	5	6.50
7	American Hustle	6	8	7	7	8	6	7.00
8	Philomena	8	5	6	8	7	9	7.17
9	Dallas Buyers Club	9	7	8	6	6	8	7.33

When it comes to the performances, it looks like no one can deny the power of Cate Blanchett and Lupita Nyong'o this year, and I don't think Oscar will either.  None of us picked Best Actor frontrunner Matthew McConaughey this year, though.  We split between Leonardo DiCaprio and Bruce Dern.  Our supporting actors varied, but Michael Fassbender came out ahead.

Director

Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave: Ben, Emily, Sarah, Tyler

Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity: Barb, Jason

Actor

Bruce Dern, Nebraska, Ben, Emily, Barb

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street: Sarah, Tyler, Jason

Actress

Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine: Unanimous

Supporting Actor

Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave: Ben, Sarah, Tyler

Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club: Barb, Jason

Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips: Emily

Supporting Actress

Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave: Unanimous

Adapted Screenplay

12 Years a Slave: Ben, Emily, Sarah, Barb

Before Midnight: Tyler

The Wolf of Wall Street: Jason

Original Screenplay

Nebraska: Ben, Emily, Sarah

Her: Barb, Tyler, Jason

Ben

2013 was a terrific year for movies, one of the best I can remember. While many of my favorites are not up for Best Picture (only 3 of the 9 actually make my top 10 list), it’s still a solid group of movies, focused around stories of survival, to represent the year. I also can’t remember a year where two movies I loved as much were battling it out for Best Picture.

1. 12 Years a Slave

The obvious choice for a slavery drama would be to go for sprawling melodrama, but masterful director Steve McQueen instead focuses intently on Soloman Northrup’’s story of slavery as pure psychological horror.  The movie pulls no punches and looks its viewers right in the face with the truth of this story. I recently went for a second viewing, and the remarkable performances stood out even more.  Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lupita N’yongo (who completely blew me away) as the slaves and Michael Fassbender and Sarah Paulson as the terrifyingly disturbed masters create indelible portraits.  Easily the best movie ever about slavery, and an instant classic.

2. Gravity

Awesome in every sense.  A lesser director would have turned this remarkable technology into a simple sci-fi action movie filled with dozens of spaceships. Director Alfonso Cuaron, one of my favorite directors (Y Tu Mama Tambien and Children of Men are two that make my “perfect movie” list), crafts a movie filled with wonder, loneliness, awe, survival, and of course amazing thrills. The story isn’t especially complex, but its relentless focus on survival is so basic to humanity it really pulled me in.  One of the most gripping movie theater experience I’ve ever had.

3. Nebraska

Having spent many a day in rural Kansas visiting  relatives, I can say that Nebraska gets rural Midwestern America exactly right. I love how Payne delicately balances his satire with a sympathetic eye.. The movie is built around Bruce Dern as Woody Grant, and its a performance for the ages.  He’s the jaded, soulful center of the movie, and the supporting cast is probably the best of the year.  Among this year’s movies I laughed hardest at Nebraksa, but it also had some of the most supremely sad scenes of the year (in particular the visit to Woody’s childhood home).  I laughed, I cried, I thought about life.

4. Her

I love director Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich is on my personal top 20 of all time) and Joaquin Phoenix, so I couldn’t wait to see this film.  Jonze brings his usual idiosyncratic worldview into this completely plausible vision of a future where our lovers and our technology have become one and the same.  The way the filmmakers created a completely believable world was incredible.  I give especially big props to the production design and the costumes (I'll take some high waisted pants myself please!).  I love how the vision of the future can be viewed as sweet, profoundly lonely, or something in between.  For me it worked better as an intellectually clever what-if movie than as love story, which ultimately kept it from being a notch higher on my list.

5. Captain Phillips

An expertly made incredible true story.  Throughout the film, I was constantly astonished that the impoverished Somali pirates were able to go up against a Western ship and come very close to their goal.  The movie is very good at presenting both sides of this conflict without beating you over the head with its themes.  It also has a phenomenal ending, with what might be Tom Hanks best acting ever, that makes up for its awkward first few minutes.  I do think the movie would have been tighter and more riveting with about 20 minutes cut out, as some of the scenes in the second half grew repetitive.

6. American Hustle

Not as energetic or tight as the movie about the more despicable American hustlers I put at number 7, so why does this one (ever so slightly) win out on my rankings? It’s not just for the awesome hair and costumes, although those didn't hurt. I like the way director David O. Russell takes normal stories and makes them kooky and loose, and he does the same with this film.  I also love how he gives the women in his story (Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence) fleshed out characters who are just as important as the men. Why not higher, then? As much as I liked all the performances , the whole thing feels a little unfocused and tossed-off.  When you make a scam movie with the scam this confusing, there’s definitely a piece missing.

7. The Wolf of Wall Street

Three hours of decadence, energy, and excess.  Throughout the  three hours, I felt both highly entertained and exhausted, and I think that’s how Scorsese wanted me to feel.  I think DiCaprio is so great in this role, it mostly makes up for a hollowness in the script. After the first 30 minutes, very little character development happens as we careen from one set-piece to the next. It’s bravura, entertaining filmmaking that feels a little hollow at its core.

8. Philomena

While I don’t think Philomena is a worthy Best Picture nominee, I’m not going to beat up on it.  I actually liked it quite a bit.  I really enjoyed how they took what could have been a sob story and filmed it as a comedy-drama with plenty of laughs to go with the outrage.  Judi Dench and Steve Coogan make a great pair in this movie, and it wears its themes with a light but moving touch.  It’s definitely a performance driven movie though, and doesn’t give us a whole lot else cinematically.

9. Dallas Buyers Club

From the first scene of this movie, I pretty much knew where this true-life AIDS drama was going to go, and sure enough it went there.  The three lead performances ranged from very good (the everywhere-this-year Matthew McConaughey) to good (the to my mind over-awarded and overpraised Jared Leto) to the not-so-good (a bland Jennfier Garner).  I thought the script was a little uneven and meandering, and the direction lacked a clear artistic vision.  A decent movie about a pretty interesting topic, but not worthy of its nomination.

Should Win:

Director: Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave

Actor: Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Supporting Actor: Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Supporting Actress: Lupita N’yongo, 12 Years a Slave
Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years a Slave
Original Screenplay: Nebraska

Emily

Happy Oscars everyone! Thanks to Ben for letting me contribute to the blog, even though I only made it through 8 of the 9 Best Picture nominees. Also, I want to give a shout out to a few other movies I absolutely loved this year: Inside Llewyn Davis, Stories We Tell, The Great Beauty, and Frances Ha. And now for the nominees:

1. 12 Years a Slave
Are we ready for a Best Picture that historically-accurately, unflinchingly confronts and humanizes our country’s ugly past? And what does it say if 12 Years a Slave doesn’t win because enough people said, “Oh, I just couldn’t watch it.”?

2. Nebraska
Poignant and funny, smartly directed, and masterfully acted by Bruce Dern as Woody, whose Midwestern stoicism is complemented perfectly by the stark black-and-white cinematography of the Nebraskan landscape.

3. Gravity
Gripping. Ben’s arm. So anxiously. The whole 91 minutes. A different kind of journey story with awesome effects – which I’m told were more awesome in 3D. Kudos to Sandra Bullock for her great performance and months of diligent astronaut training.

4. Her
A fictional story strangely close to nonfiction. Her was thought-provoking, imaginative, convincing, and aesthetically cool, even though the weird sex parts made me very uncomfortable and I could have done without the obligatory-cutesy-indie-movie ukulele song part.

5. Philomena
Judi Dench and Steve Coogan brought levity and somehow, humor, to the decidedly unfunny topic of a woman’s child being taken from her. Some were surprised to see it here in the top 9, but I found it pretty engaging – albeit maybe in more of a made-for-TV-movie kind of way.

6. Captain Phillips
Contained one of the craziest (because it’s true) scenes of the year, when a tiny, low-tech pirate boat hijacks a huge high-tech cargo ship. Impressively filmed on the water rather than recreated via visual effects. What a great breakout performance by my fellow Minnesotan, Barkhad Abdi. I liked that the story was told with sympathy for his character, too.

7. Dallas Buyers Club
Jordan Catalano, is that you? Quite a transformation for both Jared Leto and Matthew McConaughey. After the 2012 documentary, How to Survive a Plague, it was interesting to see another aspect of the U.S. grassroots movement to address HIV/AIDS. Despite the good performances and interesting story, though, I somehow didn’t feel totally drawn in.

8. American Hustle
Let me be honest: I fell asleep at the beginning and was confused the rest of the way through (to which my mom said, “Oh, it wouldn’t have mattered!”… If that’s the case, let’s see a tighter script). I do remember that Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams were entertaining, though.

[didn’t see] The Wolf of Wall Street
I wasn’t able to find 3 spare hours for this one and was not particularly interested. Ben will give you one free pass if you ask nicely.

Should win:

Director: Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Actor: Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave

Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years a Slave

Original Screenplay: Nebraska

Barb

WOW, what a year for the movies! I am honored to be reviewing the Oscar nominated pictures for my 5th consecutive year. Thank you Ben Frazell and Ben's Talking Pictures for enhancing my movie viewing experience.

1. 12 Years a Slave
My pick for best picture of the year. Based on the true story of Solomon Northup, a free man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery, director Steve McQueen brings us an intense, no holds barred, often hard to watch look at slavery in America. What a painful chapter in our nation's history. Brilliant performances across the board! Chiwetel Ejiofor gives a heart-wrenching performance as Solomon, who fights not only for his survival, but for his dignity. Equally strong are performances by Lupita Nyong'o, as the brutalized slave, Patsey, and Michael Fassbender as a ruthless plantation owner. The final scene where Solomon is reunited with his family is one of the most understated, heartbreaking and powerful moments I have ever seen in a film.

2. Nebraska
I loved everything about this movie! After receiving a sweepstakes letter in the mail, the aging, cantankerous and somewhat demented Woody Grant (superbly played by Bruce Dern) heads out, on foot, from his home in Montana to claim his prize in Lincoln Nebraska. He is intercepted on the highway by police and returned to his out-spoken, fed-up wife (June Squibb). What follows is a father/son road trip when his estranged son, David (Will Forte), begrudgingly agrees to drive him to Nebraska. Although David recognizes this as a scam, it is his one last-ditch effort to understand and try to connect with his emotionally absent, alcoholic father*. Along the way, they stop in the small Midwestern town of Hawthorne Nebraska where Woody grew up. Here we are treated to a glimpse of small town America and its inhabitants. We meet Woody's old friends and extended family... and don't they come out of the woodwork now that Woody is a millionaire! These are wonderfully complicated characters, and, in spite of their flaws, I never felt that Director Alexander Payne was being judgmental. What you see is what you get. This journey helps David understand what has shaped his father in a way never before possible. There were outstanding performances across the board in this film, but, in addition to Dern, I was especially moved by Will Forte's performance. There was such a believable quality to his frustration, confusion, but also his compassion toward his father. I also appreciated Payne's decision to use local actors, which added to the film's authenticity. This is a humorous, moving, bittersweet portrait of small town America, family and relationships. Also, this would not have been the same film had it not been done in black and white. Good call!
*social workers love these kind of stories.

3. Gravity
First let me say this must be seen in 3D. Above all, Gravity is a technical masterpiece. From cinematography to visual effects to sound mixing to sound editing (it should win in all these categories) it works. I found this film thrilling, breathtakingly beautiful and terrifying! I thought Sandra Bullock, as Dr. Ryan Stone, was outstanding. I found George Clooney, as astronaut Matt Kowalsky, a little less believable. He is, after all, George Clooney, and I couldn't quite seem to get beyond that. After disaster strikes and their shuttle is destroyed, Dr. Ryan and astronaut Kowalsky find themselves marooned in space, tethered to nothing but each other. Once Matt cuts the tether, Dr. Stone finds herself alone, floating weightlessly in space. She goes from full survival mode to resignation, from trying to remain calm and focused to full blown panic.  What a tough role... which she carries beautifully! Some of the most memorable moments of this film are those quiet moments when she is floating weightlessly in space. A heart-pounding, suspenseful, beautiful and highly entertaining movie. Well done Alfonso Cuaron. You get my vote!

4. Her
Sensitive, withdrawn Theodore Twombly, reeling from the break up of his marriage, finds love and happiness when he begins a relationship with his 'advance operating system'. Science fiction, but probably closer than we think. Joaquin Phoenix was at his best as the lonely, quirky Twombly. The intimacy and connection he has with his OS, Samantha (beautifully voiced by Scarlett Johanssen), is completely believable. This, coupled with the fact that his friend's openly accept this relationship, is a bit frightening. Things become more complicated when Samantha decides she, too, has wants and needs. It becomes apparent, to everyone except maybe Theodore, that Samantha must move on, leaving Theodore much as we first found him. The one thing I took away from this film is that although technology can connect us, it can also isolate us.

5. Captain Phillips
Under the intense direction of Paul Greengrass, we follow the real life story of the 2009 hijacking of the Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates. Outstanding performances by Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips and newcomer Barkhad Abdi as the Somali lead pirate, Muse. After Phillips is taken hostage, the movie really focuses on the relationship between him and Muse. Phillips, in full survival mode, tries to keep himself together under the most unimaginable circumstances. Then there is Muse, who just wanted to take the money and run, who finds himself in a situation totally out of his control. Enter the SEALS, and the situation becomes even more frantic and unpredictable. What follows is a heart pounding, nail-biting, action-packed finale. I actually felt physically exhausted by the time Phillips was rescued and returned to his ship. Although I am certainly pleased that Minneapolis' own Barkhad Abdi got a well deserved nod for supporting actor, I think Hanks was robbed.

6. Philomena
The heartbreaking story of Philomena Lee's desperate search for the son she was forced to give up as an unwed, teenage mother in 1950's Ireland. After many unsuccessful attempts to get information about her son from the nuns at Roscrea Convent, Philomena turns to political journalist Michael Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) for help. Judi Dench was outstanding as Philomena. Her unwavering faith in God and the Church, her acceptance and even forgiveness of the atrocities she experienced at Roscrea are in sharp contrast to the cynical, atheist and outraged Sixsmith.This contrast works well throughout the movie. Almost as interesting as Philomena's story, is the true life story of her son, Michael Hess. Brought up Catholic by his adoptive parents, he goes on to become a lawyer for the Republican National Committee during the Reagan and Bush administrations. A closeted gay man for most of his life, he died of AIDS at age 43 in 1995. We learn of his own desperate search for his birth mother that included several trips to the Convent at Roscrea. His final wish was to be buried at Roscrea in hopes that she might find him. I thought this was a fascinating story and liked the movie a great deal. Don't expect to come away from it feeling very kindly toward the Catholic Church.

7. American Hustle
Loosely based on the ABSCAM scandal, Director David O. Russell leads us on a wild ride, with some great performances by an all-star cast. And oh, so many wonderful characters! There were so many little things I loved about this movie: Christian Bale's comb-over, Bradley Cooper's perm, the hot-mess that is Jennifer Lawrence, partner-in-crime, Amy Adams, Shiek Abdullah etc. etc. etc. Sure, the storyline may have been a little loose at times, but I found this just to be a very entertaining afternoon at the movies.

8. Dallas Buyers Club
Well, Matthew McConaughey has certainly reinvented himself, and no where is this more apparent than in his role as homophobic rodeo rider Ron Woodroof in the Dallas Buyers Club. Loosely based on the true story of Woodroof,  who was diagnosed with AIDS in 1986 and given 30 days to live. Unwilling to accept his death sentence, he travels to Mexico where he learns about alternative treatments, and begins smuggling vitamins and ant-viral drugs into the U.S. His will to live, coupled with his entrepreneurial spirit, kick in when other people with AIDS come looking for his medications. Woodroof and his unlikely ally, the fragile HIV positive transsexual, Rayon (Jared Leto), establish the Dallas Buyers Club. The Dallas Buyers Club could now provide its dues-paying members with these alternative treatments. A fascinating look at AIDS and AIDS/HIV treatment in the 1980's. Superb performances by McConaughey and Leto!

9. The Wolf of Wall Street
I found the Wolf of Wall Street fascinating... in a very disgusting way. Outstanding performance by Leo DiCaprio as the charismatic, self-serving, corrupt Jordan Belfort. Also strong performances by Jonah Hill and secondary characters Kyle Chandler and Matthew McConaughey.* I have to say, the language, sex, drugs and prostitutes wore me down. I think they could have cut this back about 45 minutes and still made their point. I love how the Jordan Belforts of the world always land on their feet. No insight, no remorse, no responsibility for their behavior or the damage they have caused. After a (short) prison stay, he is now a writer, producer, motivational speaker and entrepreneur. By the way, he has not paid restitution.. A fun fact I learned from the movie: he met Tommy Chong in prison, who encouraged him to write his book.
* That darn Matthew McConaughey, he's everywhere, isn't he?

Should Win:
Director, Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Actor: Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue jasmine
Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years a Slave
Original Screenplay: Her


Sarah

Once again, excited to be back for family blogging this year- seeing all the films is a great way to help get through the winter blahs.  Not a movie in the bunch I didn’t at least enjoy this year, and a few I loved.  I’m sad that Llewyn Davis didn’t make it, and would’ve been a perfect fit for the overall theme of survival that seems to run through the nominees this year, whether thats surviving slavery, AIDS, or FBI investigations.

1. 12 Years a Slave
No one should be surprised that a film about slavery is unsettling and powerful, and 12 Years a Slave was absolutely both of those (side note- those who have seen Django Unchained- weren’t there times when you wanted some Tarantino style scene just to give your heart/brain a break?) The thing that brought 12 Years a Slave to  even another level for me was the existential questions it brought up about suffering and the different choices people make to survive horrific trauma.  Incredible, subdued but powerful performances and amazing, unflinching director made what I think will go down in history as a real masterpiece.

2. Nebraska
Was Alexander Payne along for some of my childhood trips to visit my older relatives in rural Kansas?  The details and the characters in this movie were spot on- LOVED the scene of all the men watching TV, and the kareoke/steakhouse.  Very poignant and funny.


3.The Wolf of Wall Street
Over the top and gratuitous- yes.  And did it work- absolutely!  A bit long (which would be my complaint about almost all but the 2 movies listed above) but Leonardo Dicaprio- wow!  In my line of work I’ve worked with a sociopath or 2 and he absolutely nails it- making horrible, harmful decisions, and yet, you still root for him and want him to succeed because he is so damn charismatic- (also loved Jonah HIll, because he also completely nailed the portrayal of the equivalent of the high school popular kid’s side kick- in some ways arguably less terrible and powerful but you just really want someone to punch him in the face).

4. Her
Before I went to see “Her” I had heard glowing reviews.  After the movie ended, I felt slightly let down, and I think thats because I didn’t quite have the emotional investment in Samantha and Theodore’s relationship that I hoped- but- maybe thats part of the whole point!  Weeding through the intellectual and emotional questions that come up made this a very smart and challenging movies. The cinematography was a bit- instagrammy?- but it worked.  I think the movie did a great job at not making a judgment call on the relationship.  I’m so glad they included the scene with Rooney Mara’s character critiquing Theodore’s inability to engage with “real” women because without it, I think the film would’ve been pretty problematic on a feminist level.

5. Gravity
An overall good movie, but I was a little bit let down.  Obviously, the cinematography and filmmaking was a huge accomplishment.  Sometimes I think 3D is a waste of money but absolutely not in this case- it really brought you on a powerful journey.  Overall, the narrative was compelling, but the dialogue was too cheesy and distracting to me, and I didn’t feel like the story about Sandra Bullock’s daughter quite worked.

6. Dallas Buyers Club
A well- told story, and an interesting narrative of the early days of the AIDS epidemic.  The performances were great- Matthew McConaughey amplified what he does well in most of his movies- Southern characters with some sass and ruggedness- but the real highlight for me was Jared Leto.  There’s been some interesting criticism on the blogosphere on the choice not to have a trans actor portray the part, but I think that Jared did play the role with warmth and respect.  The story was good and told what it needed to, but didn’t take any real risks that would’ve brought it to GREAT level.

7.  American Hustle
I loved SIlver Linings Playbook, so I was hoping to like American Hustle more than I did.  THe best comparison I can make is it was kind of like watching a really good high school play- it was fun to see actors you knew from other things wearing crazy costumes and wigs (and potbellies) in a crazy plot.  However, that also means it was pretty messy- the plot didn’t make sense at times and could have used some real editing.  Of course, per usual, Jennifer Lawerence was a real highlight.

8. Philomena
This was a good solid movie, a good story and Judi Dench was wonderful.  I can’t think of anything that i didn’t LIKE about it, but I’m not sure that it belonged on the best picture of the year list, especially when other greats were left off (looking at you, Llewyn Davis).

9. Captain Phillips
Well made, true-story suspense.  I thought Tom Hanks performance was very good, and the end of the movie was very powerful as you watch his reaction to the trauma he has just suffered.  My favorite were the characters of the Somali pirates (especially in being from Minnesota, it wqas neat to hear the back story of Barkhad Abdi, former cab driver. )  Overall, not sure that this is a movie that will stick with me for a long time, and could’ve used some editing as well (and what was with that awkward first scene driving to the airport?)

Should Win
Director: Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, Wolf of Wall Street
Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Supporting Actor (just a note here, I think one of the strongest categories this year and hardest to decide!): Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Adapted Screenplay: 12 years a slave
Original Screenplay: Nebraska

Tyler

1. 12 Years a Slave
There is a moment early on in this film, when Solomon is in the hold of the slave ship being transported south, and there is an argument between the men over whether to risk their lives with an Amistad-style takeover or to keep their heads down and try to live as long as possible as slaves. I was actually worried in that moment that THE theme for this movie was set, because as interesting as this topic could be, I thought that this focus would limit the potential of this film. I’m glad I was wrong. It became clear that while this theme was vital to Solomon’s story, this film created (or I guess I should say reflected) a fully realized world featuring characters, relationships, and motivations that extended far beyond the standard slave/owner dichotomy. We see how Solomon is treated as a freeman by White northerners (and a bewildered out-of-town slave). We see slave owners who justify themselves as businessmen without a choice and those that justify their sadism with the Bible. We see southern Whites that are not part of the 1% (both cotton-pickers and whip-wielding field masters) and their complex feelings about an institution that they simultaneously benefit from and are held down by. Between Mistress Epps (Fassbender’s wife), Patsey, and the slave mistress who hosts the tea party, we see a massive range of the roles for, and types of damage to, women involved in the institution of slavery. The care that was put into crafting an entire world around this story turns it from “a movie about one free man who was enslaved for 12 years” into something closer to an epic novel in scope (without ever feeling like watching a novel), which is not just incredibly interesting, but also makes the brutality of the institution of slavery that much more devastating. Lincoln was great because it showed slavery, something we as a culture work so hard to pretend is so far away, in a political context that couldn’t help but feel incredibly familiar. 12 Years a Slave takes this to the next level, because the world it creates feels so alive and complex that we can’t pretend that slavery existed in some other-worldly realm.

The direction of this film also ups the ante from Lincoln dramatically; McQueen's use of sparse-but-haunting music and wide-shot long scenes with minimal cutting feels fresh and original, which is especially important for this film. There is a brutal scene where Patsey is being whipped, the (rather conventional) frame showing her face and Fassbender as he is whipping her. I realized I was intentionally distancing myself from this tough scene by thinking about how they add the whip sound effect, how that whip comes nowhere close to the actor, etc.. Then it cuts to a new shot of her back and you see huge lacerations appear with every whip crack and suddenly your ability to cope by distancing yourself with your knowledge of cinematic convention is destroyed. This is what this movie does over and over again through its acting, editing, effects, and screenplay; it is a film that forces you to face that reality.

2. Nebraska
There were a lot of great character-driven indie movies that were ignored this year (Llweyn Davis, Before Midnight, Frances Ha, etc.), so I’m glad this one wasn’t also left off the list. Fresh, funny and poignant, not much else needs to be said.

3. Her
There are generally two kinds of sci-fi movies: those that use a fantasy world to tell a fantasy story, and those that use a fantasy world to tell a very old or very modern story. I’m still not sure which one her is, which is definitely a compliment.

4. The Wolf of Wall Street
Starting as an empire-building film and slowing turning into a wild adventure story about some incredibly immature men, this is a fun film where you kind of like the characters, but still feel upset when they get a happy-ish ending. Scorsese was smart to make this movie essentially a National Lampoons Presents: Wall Street College and not really include an examination of the damage the Wall Street mentality does, because for that we just need to watch the news.

5. Gravity
While I found the backstory thrown in here to be kind of lazy/cliche/boring, I thought it was a great thriller, and the first time I felt that the extra 2 dollars for 3D was worth it.

6. Dallas Buyers Club
I’m kind of surprised this Philidelphia/Blow combo was not made earlier, both because this true story seems like an obvious choice for a film, but also because it feels outdated. Overall it was well done, but for some reason it also just felt stale to me.

7. Philomena
I liked this odd-couple buddy comedy wrapped inside a drama, and I found the portrayal of faith as the way to deal with injustice caused by the tenets of that faith to be interesting. While this movie had nothing wrong with it, and it had the subject matter of an Oscar contender, it felt like at no point did it even try to be outstanding in any capacity, as all the other movies here did.

8. American Hustle
Great performances, but the film lacked either a “hey this is fun just enjoy” or a deeper cultural resonance. The opening scene with the comb-over was great, but I kind of felt that that’s what this whole movie was.

9. Captain Phillips
Starting off with the worst scene I’ve seen in anything in a long time (the car conversation), it improved into a well-done thriller, but as far as action/survival thrillers go, I found it was nowhere near Gravity.

Should Win:
Director: Steve McQueen
Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Supporting Actor: Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Adapted Screenplay: Before Midnight
Original Screenplay: Her

Jason

What a year for movies!  I’ve been honored to have been able to join the blog for the last few years and without a doubt, this year was the strongest field of contenders as well as the hardest for me to rank.  I very much enjoyed and think highly of every single film on the list of nominees.  Movies that aren’t cracking my top five would have been in my top three in years past.

 And now, on to my rankings.

1.  12 Years a Slave

A beautifully directed film about the darkest period in American history that tells a very important story, impeccably acted by the whole cast.  This movie sounded like Oscar gold from the first time I heard about it and I’m very glad that the film did not disappoint.  McQueen did an amazing job of depicting life on the plantation for both the slaves and their owners without pulling any punches.  He didn’t shy away from showing the brutality at all, which gave the film much more weight and took it to my number 1 spot.  The acting was incredible, everyone in the cast was cast perfectly and it’s great to see such an important role going to a newcomer (who just so happens to be one of the favorites for an Oscar).

2.  Nebraska

Alexander Payne is the reigning master on directing films which show completely believable character in completely believable situations, all while doing it with humor, emotion and empathy.  I’m probably biased towards this film because it very much reminded me of growing up and visiting small town middle America.  The conversations, the scenes, the houses, the main street, it all rang completely true for me.  Bruce Dern was amazing in a transformative role and in past years I believe he would have won the Oscar for best actor.  I really enjoyed the rest of the cast and thought Will Forte, Bob Odenkirk, June Squibb and the crazy cast of family characters did a great job.  Filming this movie in black and white was a great choice, it was very visually striking and added to the nostalgic feel.

3.  Gravity

I don’t think there is much to say about Gravity other that in terms of pure movie magic, it ranks up there with the very best.  The 11 minute opening tracking shot is one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen in film.  The movie doesn’t waste a moment of screen time and very quickly has the viewer caring deeply about Dr. Stone and Captain Kowalski.  Cuaron did a p job portraying the vastness of space in a way I’ve never seen before.  Sandra Bullock was fantastic in her role and I thought Clooney’s character hit all the right notes as the selfless captain making sure his crew has every opportunity to survive.

4.  Her

Humans having intimate relationships with technology…is that really all that far off?  Spike Jonze did an incredible job directing and writing a film that could have been just strange but ended up being heartfelt, funny, sad and very believable.  Joaquin Phoenix was the perfect actor to play the role as the lonely bachelor who is yearning for companionship.  Amy Adams is great as always as the sympathetic friend and confidant.  Scarlett Johansen’s voice as “Her” is just simple amazing, I thought it was possible that she would get nominated for her voice work, as that role made the film.  

5.  Captain Phillips

Paul Greengrass is one of my favorite directors and no one plays the every man better than Tom Hanks, so I knew that Captain Phillips was going to be excellent.  The back and forth between Captain Phillips and Muse is what brought this film into the Oscar realm.  At any moment it feels like the wrong words or actions by the Captain can result in catastrophe.  Although the film clocked in just a bit long, I thought Greengrass did a great job with the pacing and I was glued to my seat the entire time.  It’s not a simple feat to portray a story where everyone knows exactly how it turns out but still keep that sense of suspense.  I personally thought Hanks got robbed for an Oscar nomination.

6.  American Hustle

Out of all the films on this list, I would have to say that American Hustle along with Wolf were the most pure fun I had at the movies all year.  Combine David O Russell’s knack for getting amazing performances out of his actors along with pitch perfect casting for each role and you’ve got a winner.  I truly loved Amy Adams performance and in other years, I believe she would be the shoe in for the Oscar.  Bale, Lawrence, Cooper were all just great in their roles, especially the complete transformation of Bale along with his amazing hair.  I did think a couple of the actors felt strange in their roles, especially Louis CK.

7.  The Wolf of Wall Street

I had high expectations for this film based on the critics reviews and it most certainly did not disappoint.  Yes, many of the scenes were completely over the top, but that’s the point that Scorsese was making.  I’ve spoken with people who worked on Wall Street in the late 80s/early 90s and they told me that the movie did a great job of showing the excess that was so prevalent.  Both DiCaprio and Jonah Hill absolutely killed it with their acting, two Oscar nominations that were well deserved.  I did feel that the movie went on for a bit longer than needed, but Scorsese has a tendency to run long.  Although it wasn’t my favorite movie of the year, I really did enjoy it and think it’s probably the most fun I had at the theater.

8.  Dallas Buyers Club

Out of all the movies on the Oscar list, is there any that were more driven completely by the acting?  The story of Dallas Buyers Club is great, but without McConaughey and Leto, it becomes a fairly standard film.  McConaughey and Leto’s dramatic weight loss (Matthew got down to 136 lbs and Jared down to 114) was just incredible.  I enjoyed learning about this story, as I had no idea that something like the Buyers Clubs existed back in the 80s and that the FDA had cracked down on this. 

9.  Philomena

I thought Philomena was a great little film and I thought the story was fascinating.  Judi Dench is always great and I liked Steve Coogan as well.  I had never heard about the church selling children to wealthy Americans and was glad this film was made to shed light on it.  This is the only movie on the list that I can’t see being a best picture.  I can see where someone could make an argument for any of the other eight films based on their taste, acting, story and directing.  

Should Win:

Director:  Alfonso Cuaron

Actor:  Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street

Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Best Supporting Actor:  Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Supporting Actress:  Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave

Original Screenplay: Her

Adapted Screenplay:  Wolf of Wall Street